Political temperatures are rising in Kenya as election fever hits political parties with the most difficult season in the electoral process — party primaries — begin.

According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) timelines, political parties are expected to begin nominating their candidates for governor, senator, member of parliament, County woman representatives and members of County assemblies seats after the names of aspirants are gazetted this Wednesday.

The primaries must, however, be concluded before April 26.

This has put the IEBC on the warpath with parties.

According to timelines that had been issued by IEBC in February, political parties were expected to submit their membership registers and list of aspirants for gazettement to set the stage for primaries, which in some regions, depending on the party’s popularity, is more competitive than the general election.

However, the parties sought a one week extension.

The deadline for submission of list of aspirants elapsed on April 5 and the electoral commission is required by law to gazette them after seven days.

Gazettement of the names of aspirants and membership registers was meant to stop party hoping.

“Section 31(2B) of the Elections Act, 2011 requires political parties to submit to the Commission the names of persons contesting in their party primaries and the dates of the party primaries at least 21 days before the intended party primaries,” said Wafula Chebukati, IEBC chairman.

The hunt for direct party tickets and violence at party meetings rocked some parties, raising tension among supporters and aspirants because getting a direct ticket is as good as winning the election in some regions.

The Orange Democratic Movement, one of the parties in the National Super Alliance (Nasa), set the ball rolling when it issued direct party certificates to 800 candidates, whom the party said were sole candidates for their seats.

This however did not go down well with some aspirants and sparked violence and accusation of rigging by party officials despite assurances by party leader Raila Odinga that the nominations will be free and fair.

For instance, irate youth evicted the party’s executive director Oduor Ong’wen from office, accusing him of locking out nominated Senator Elizabeth Ongoro from vying for the Ruaraka parliamentary seat in Nairobi County.

This happened a day after a rally purportedly to endorse Suna MP Mohamed Junet in Migori County, was disrupted by people believed to be supporters of Migori Governor Okoth Obado, where a bodyguard of Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho was shot and injured.

Mr Obado accused the organisers of the rally, which was to be addressed by Mr Joho, of plotting to rig party nominations in favour of his opponent.

The ruling Jubilee Party is also grappling with intense rivalry between key leaders gunning for coveted gubernatorial seats, which in some cases has resulted in violence. To end suspicion that some politicians are lobbying for direct tickets, President Uhuru Kenyatta gave assurance that all aspirants will have to go through the party primaries slated for April 21.

“The nomination will be free and fair. No one will be accorded a direct ticket because the people are the ones who will decide those to run on the party’s ticket in the August polls,” said President Kenyatta.

The party is facing rebellion from a section of aspirants who are opposed to the use of smart cards during its primaries, saying they are not foolproof to rigging.